Written Answers Thursday 25 January 2007

Scottish Executive

Alcohol Misuse

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people, not in work or unable to work, were given a primary diagnosis of alcoholism by their GP in each year since 1997, broken down by NHS board.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the additional cost to health services has been as a result of the increase in primary diagnoses of alcoholism in each year since 1997, broken down by NHS board.

Lewis Macdonald: This information is not held centrally.

Alcohol Misuse

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many alcohol-related admissions there were to hospitals in each year since 1997, broken down by age and sex of patient and by hospital.

Lewis Macdonald: Information is provided on the number of discharges from Scottish general/acute hospitals and Scottish mental and psychiatric hospitals by hospital, gender and 10-year age groups from 1997-98 to 2004-05.

  Tables 1 to 8 show alcohol-related discharges from Scottish general/acute hospitals by hospital, gender and 10 to year age groups (under 15 years, 15 to 24 years, 25 to 34 years, 35 to 44 years, 45 to 54 years, 55 to 64 years, and 65 years and over).

  Tables 9-16 show alcohol-related discharges from Scottish mental and psychiatric hospitals by hospital, gender and 10 to year age groups (under 15 years, 15 to 24 years, 25 to 34 years, 35 to 44 years, 45 to 54 years, 55 to 64 years, and 65 years and over).

  A copy of these tables have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 41496).

Alcohol Misuse

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients admitted to hospital with an alcohol-related dependency and subsequently discharged were re-admitted within (a) 24 hours, (b) one week and (c) one month in each year since 1997, broken down by NHS board.

Lewis Macdonald: Patients undergoing hospital treatment for alcohol related dependency can be treated in acute general hospitals or psychiatric units/mental illness hospitals. Information on readmission is available separately for patients treated in each of these but is not readily available for patients who move between the two.

  Tables 1a to 1c and 2a to 2c of Patients admitted to hospital with an alcohol-related dependency and subsequently readmitted within 1 day, 1 week and 1 month since 1997 by NHS Board contain this information a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 41572).

Alcohol Misuse

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths have occurred as a result of alcoholic liver disease in each year since 1997, broken down by age and sex of patient and by hospital.

Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is set out in the following tables.

  Deaths from Alcoholic Liver Disease, by Sex and Age Group, Scotland, 1997-2005

  

 
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005


Persons All Ages
527
565
638
779
866
957
976
876
976


Under 30
3
5
4
8
7
2
6
8
5


30-44
98
97
116
135
140
160
159
145
162


45-59
246
292
299
367
392
464
440
413
449


60-74
164
148
187
237
295
297
329
269
319


75 and over
16
23
32
32
32
34
42
41
41


Males All ages
366
388
426
537
599
660
675
603
638


Under 30
0
4
4
5
6
1
4
6
2


30-44
66
62
79
93
93
113
106
100
98


45-59
168
206
196
254
264
310
297
279
290


60-74
122
100
124
162
215
214
235
188
221


75 and over
10
16
23
23
21
22
33
30
27


Females All ages
161
177
212
242
267
297
301
273
338


Under 30
3
1
0
3
1
1
2
2
3


30-44
32
35
37
42
47
47
53
45
64


45-59
78
86
103
113
128
154
143
134
159


60-74
42
48
63
75
80
83
94
81
98


75 and over
6
7
9
9
11
12
9
11
14



  Deaths from Alcoholic Liver Disease, by Hospital, Scotland, 1997-2005

  

Hospital
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005


Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
9
13
20
18
31
21
31
32
32


Ayr Hospital
11
8
10
15
16
20
24
19
16


Borders General Hospital
3
1
4
0
7
7
4
5
6


Crosshouse Hospital, Kilmarnock
24
14
19
29
27
25
24
24
22


Doctor Gray's Hospital, Elgin
4
1
6
3
5
2
8
6
5


Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary
3
8
1
7
9
7
8
10
10


Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary
5
7
6
9
11
11
12
9
9


Gartnavel General Hospital, Glasgow
7
13
15
13
9
17
26
22
16


Glasgow Royal Infirmary
33
24
44
58
59
60
64
51
39


Hairmyres Hospital, East Kilbride
10
19
25
17
20
17
24
28
27


Inverclyde Royal Hospital
12
21
20
14
30
31
21
19
21


Law Hospital, Carluke
20
17
29
29
5
0
0
0
0


Monklands General Hospital, Airdrie
11
30
11
23
28
30
31
25
31


New Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
0
0
0
0
0
0
36
42
67


Ninewells Hospital, Dundee
14
18
14
24
25
31
42
41
32


Perth Royal Infirmary
4
5
9
7
4
10
7
5
7


Queen Margaret Hospital, Dunfermline
5
2
8
16
9
16
9
13
15


Raigmore Hospital, Inverness
8
6
12
18
10
15
20
21
10


Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley
30
38
18
45
32
47
42
32
55


Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
30
27
45
49
59
52
22
0
0


Southern General Hospital, Glasgow
17
28
23
26
36
27
41
41
31


St John's Hospital, Livingston
10
13
6
11
14
14
23
10
16


Stirling Royal Infirmary
14
6
12
13
15
22
21
16
15


Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow
23
18
20
24
21
21
29
16
23


Vale of Leven Hospital, Alexandria
5
2
9
7
5
18
20
10
9


Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy
4
7
8
14
17
15
5
9
13


Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow
25
21
22
32
32
24
34
36
29


Western General Hospital, Edinburgh
7
10
10
12
13
12
17
12
17


Western Infirmary, Glasgow
24
30
20
19
30
23
28
25
34


Wishaw General Hospital
0
0
0
0
15
29
28
23
36


Total for other hospitals with fewer than 20 cases 1997-2005
31
18
22
17
25
28
36
31
33


Hospital total
403
425
468
569
619
652
737
633
676


Non-hospital total
124
140
170
210
247
305
239
243
300


Scotland
527
565
638
779
866
957
976
876
976

Ambulance Service

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive how many improvement notices have been served on the Scottish Ambulance Service by the Health and Safety Executive since 2000.

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it monitors the health and safety improvement notices served on the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Mr Andy Kerr: The number of improvement notices served on the Scottish Ambulance Service by the Health and Safety Executive since 2000 are listed in the following table:

  

Year
Number of Improvement Notices


2000
1


2001
2


2002
2


2003
0


2004
0


2005
7


2006
0



  Note: *Data provided by the Scottish Ambulance Service

  The Chairman of the Scottish Ambulance Service has, at my request, been keeping me informed on the progress towards compliance of the seven improvement notices served in 2005. All seven of these notices, along with the previous five in 2000-02, have been discharged.

Ambulance Service

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive under what criteria rapid response ambulance vehicles are staffed only by ambulance technicians.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Ambulance Service deploys the most appropriate resource to an emergency call, and in relation to Category A (life-threatening) calls, the policy provides for this to be a paramedic response, whether that paramedic is in a single-manned rapid response unit or is part of a double crewed ambulance. There may however be exceptional circumstances when, owing to short notice sick absences or other situations, the choice is whether to deploy a rapid response unit manned by a technician or to run with one less emergency resource for that particular shift.

  The ambulance service has in recent months introduced nearly 100 additional technicians in Glasgow and Lanarkshire. This influx of staff has skewed the ratio of technicians to paramedics meaning that currently there are seven technicians out of a staff of 30 who may be deployed on rapid response units, while other technicians are being trained up to paramedic level. The ambulance service plans to have full paramedic cover in place by December 2007.

Ambulance Service

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been provided to the Scottish Ambulance Service to purchase shock boxes to prevent staff being injured while carrying heavy defibrillators.

Mr Andy Kerr: In 2003, the Scottish Executive agreed to meet the £5 million capital costs to the Scottish Ambulance Service of it implementing a defibrillator replacement programme, with the revenue consequences being met by the ambulance service through its normal allocation. This programme covered both the procurement of shock boxes and new defibrillators capable of being further upgraded. In 2005-06, the ambulance service purchased 25 shock boxes with ECG capabilities and 58 basic shock boxes (without ECG capability) at a cost of approximately £120,000.

  The ambulance service has received considerable increases in revenue funding over recent years. Since 2002-03, its allocation has increased by some 30% and currently stands at £167.8 million.

Ambulance Service

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the provisions of the 2002 health and safety improvement notice on the Scottish Ambulance Service, under which ambulance staff are to be given appropriate time to change out of uniform before carrying out a control-of-infection procedure, are being implemented.

Mr Andy Kerr: In 2001, the Scottish Ambulance Service was served with a health and safety improvement notice with regard to infection control standards across the ambulance service. I am informed that it has complied with this notice.

Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, since the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 came into force, how many times dispersal powers have been used; how many premises have been ordered to be shut down due to intimidation, noise or disorder; how many motorists have been warned or had their vehicles seized, and how many noisy neighbours have been warned or fined due to unacceptable behaviour in the Stirling local authority area.

Johann Lamont: Data on use of the measures in the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 are collected on a six-monthly basis and the latest figures held centrally cover the period from 1 October 2004 to 30 September 2006. Figures for dispersal, closure and vehicle seizure are broken down by police force area, whereas noise nuisance warnings and fixed penalty notices are broken down by local authority area.

  Therefore, the figures requested are provided for Central Scotland Police Force area and for Stirling Council area – as appropriate – in the following table.

  

Measure
Number of Times used in Central Scotland Police Force Area/Stirling Council Area


Dispersal Notices
1


Closure Orders
0


Seizure of Vehicles – warning notices issued 
60


Seizure of vehicles – vehicles seized
3


Noise Nuisance – warning notices issued
0


Noise Nuisance – Fixed penalty Notices issued
0

Culture (Scotland) Bill

Christine May (Central Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the proposals in the draft Culture (Scotland) Bill will have on people living in deprived or remote communities.

Patricia Ferguson: The Culture Bill seeks to expand cultural opportunities for all Scots including those for people in deprived and remote communities, and we are working with local authorities now to help them do that.

Dangerous Dogs Act 1991

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions there have been under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 in each year since it came into force.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the following table.

  Persons proceeded against in Scottish courts for an offence under the Dangerous Dogs Act 19911, 1991-92 to 2004-05

  

Year
Number


1991-92
24


1992-93
71


1993-94
65


1994-95
62


1995-96
46


1996-97
42


1997-98
51


1998-99
66


1999-2000
70


2000-01
54


2001-02
42


2002-03
51


2003-04
67


2004-05
68



  Note: 1. Where main offence.

Environment

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will undertake a comprehensive review of the transposition of, and compliance with, the EU Habitats Directive.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is committed to ensuring that Scottish legislation gives full effect to the provisions of the EU Habitats Directive. Relevant legislative provisions are kept under review on a continuous basis, taking into account relevant case law or court judgments. The Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2007, currently passing through this Parliament, is an outcome of that process and will make a number of changes to the Conservation Regulations in order to meet the requirements of the European Court of Justice rulings on cases C-6/04 and C-131/05.

Heritage

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on whether the United Kingdom is a signatory to the Burra Charter and, if it is a signatory, on what date it became one.

Patricia Ferguson: The Burra Charter, which provides guidance for the conservation and management of places of cultural heritage significance, was written and adopted by Australia ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites). It does not have international signatories.

Income

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average household income is in Scotland and what it estimates the average household income would have been if it had grown at the same rate as in the United Kingdom since May (a) 1997 and (b) 1999.

Rhona Brankin: The following table presents the median weekly household income estimates for Scotland based on the Family Resources Survey. Results have been presented using GB information as the Family Resources Survey has only included Northern Ireland since 2002-03.

  Table: Median Weekly Household Income for Scotland, 2004-05

  

 £ Per Week
Equivalised Net Disposable Household Income, Before Housing Costs
Equivalised Net Disposable Household Income, After Housing Costs


Scotland’s median in 2004-05
349
313


Scotland’s median if it followed a GB growth rate since 1996-97
339
301


Scotland’s median if it followed a GB growth rate since 1998-99
343
305



  Source: Households Below Average Income, DWP.

  Further information can be found in the latest Scottish Households Below Average Income 2004-05 publication http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/95793/0023203.pdf.

  Notes:

  Net disposable household income: Total income after deductions for income tax, National Insurance Contributions, council tax, pension contributions and maintenance payments.

  Housing costs: Net disposable income but with rent/mortgage payments, water charges, structural insurance premiums, ground rent and service charges deducted.

  Equivalised net disposable household income: "Equivalised" Income is used to allow comparisons of living standards between different household types. Income is adjusted to take into account variations in the size and composition of the household. This adjustment reflects the fact that a family of several people requires a higher income than a single person in order for both households to enjoy a comparable standard of living. The key assumption is that all individuals in the household benefit equally from the combined (equivalised) income of the household. There are distinct equivalence scales used for income before housing costs (BHC) and income after housing costs (AHC).

  Median: The income value which divides a population, when ranked by income, into two equal-sized groups. The measure is most commonly used to represent average income due to the highly skewed nature of the income distribution, which leads to the very high incomes of a few having a disproportionate impact on the mean.

Justice

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what rules, regulations or guidelines govern the selection and appointment of duty solicitors for prisoners on remand.

Johann Lamont: Duty solicitors provide representation for the first appearance at court for accused persons appearing either from custody or in response to a police undertaking. Prisoners on remand awaiting trial are able to obtain criminal legal aid for their solicitor of choice.

  The duty solicitor scheme is operated by the Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) in accordance with legal aid regulations. Regulation 5 of the Criminal Legal Aid (Scotland) Regulations 1996 requires the board to make duty solicitors available in all sheriff and district courts. Solicitors must be eligible for the duty solicitor scheme in terms of criteria set out by SLAB.

Justice

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many drivers were found guilty of a speed limit offences and what (a) maximum, (b) minimum and (c) average penalty was imposed for such offences in each of the last five years, broken down by police force area.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the following table. Many speeding offences result in a police conditional offer of a fixed penalty. In 2004-05, a total of 193,240 conditional offers were issued in relation to speeding offences

  Speeding Offences1 with a Charge Proved in Scottish Courts, by Police Force Area, 1999-2000 to 2004-05

  

Police Force Area
Total
Number Resulting in a Fine
Value of Fine Imposed (£)


Maximum
Minimum
Mean


1999-2000
 
 
 
 
 


Central 
1,006
1,005
600
25
104


Dumfries and Galloway
1,926
1,909
750
30
125


Fife 
575
573
700
40
99


Grampian 
2,447
2,437
900
30
124


Lothian and Borders 
2,020
2,011
1,000
20
135


Northern 
1,118
1,112
575
25
149


Strathclyde 
5,022
5,002
2,000
20
125


Tayside 
1,670
1,665
1,000
20
193


Scotland
15,784
15,714
2,000
20
133


2000-01
 
 
 
 
 


Central 
893
888
2,000
25
111


Dumfries and Galloway
1,242
1,239
1,000
40
160


Fife 
501
499
600
10
107


Grampian 
834
832
750
30
124


Lothian and Borders 
1,566
1,564
750
20
130


Northern 
380
379
500
19
158


Strathclyde 
3,082
3,060
2,000
20
132


Tayside 
1,275
1,272
1,000
30
172


Scotland
9,773
9,733
2,000
10
138


2001-02
 
 
 
 
 


Central 
763
760
750
20
116


Dumfries and Galloway
924
919
1,000
40
185


Fife 
539
538
900
40
118


Grampian 
1,198
1,187
750
10
133


Lothian and Borders 
1,633
1,629
750
7
139


Northern 
1,002
997
1,000
40
195


Strathclyde 
2,412
2,397
1,000
7
143


Tayside 
1,868
1,866
775
5
187


Scotland
10,339
10,293
1,000
5
155


2002-03
 
 
 
 
 


Central 
686
679
500
40
122


Dumfries and Galloway
945
938
1,000
40
186


Fife 
645
643
600
30
105


Grampian 
1,157
1,151
750
40
137


Lothian and Borders 
1,628
1,620
750
25
142


Northern 
1,331
1,329
2,250
40
227


Strathclyde 
1,978
1,963
1,500
25
164


Tayside 
1,793
1,779
1,000
40
198


Scotland
10,163
10,102
2,250
25
167


2003-04
 
 
 
 
 


Central 
979
974
1,500
40
152


Dumfries and Galloway
1,012
1,010
1,000
50
168


Fife 
962
959
1,000
30
101


Grampian 
1,399
1,395
1,000
5
146


Lothian and Borders 
1,756
1,747
1,000
50
147


Northern 
1,681
1,677
1,200
10
217


Strathclyde 
3,039
3,013
1,000
10
153


Tayside 
2,256
2,238
1,000
30
204


Scotland2
13,085
13,014
1,500
5
166


2004-05
 
 
 
 
 


Central 
756
748
1,000
40
155


Dumfries and Galloway
1,766
1,758
1,000
15
164


Fife 
767
766
750
15
115


Grampian 
1,365
1,359
1,200
40
151


Lothian and Borders 
2,215
2,210
1,000
30
150


Northern 
1,628
1,626
750
10
207


Strathclyde 
3,423
3,402
2,000
12
152


Tayside 
1,929
1,917
1,000
25
199


Scotland
13,849
13,786
2,000
10
164



  Notes:

  1. Includes motorway and clearway offences.

  2. Includes one offence where force area is unknown.

Older People

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the latest estimate is of the number of older people living in (a) absolute and (b) relative poverty and what the comparative figures were in (i) 1997, (ii) 1999 and (iii) 2003.

Rhona Brankin: The information requested is available in the publication Scottish Households Below Average Income, 2004-05 which is available either in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 39177) or on the Scottish Executive website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/95793/0023203.pdf .

Prison Service

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost was of the Scottish Prison Service’s structural and organisational review, broken down into (a) internal costs and (b) costs incurred on external consultants.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  Internal costs of £250,000 and external costs of £10,000 were incurred in the SPS structural and organisational review which seeks to make the Scottish Prison Service more competitive by developing processes to improve operational flexibility, speed of deployment and staff flexibility.

Prostitution

Ms Maureen Watt (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many women have been charged with soliciting in each of the last five years, broken down by police board area and showing year-on-year percentage changes.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the following table.

  Females Proceeded Against in Scottish Courts for Offences Related to Prostitution1,2, 1999-2000 2004-05

  

Police Force
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05


 
Number


Grampian 
11
-
4
10
12


Lothian and Borders 
4
4
6
14
6


Strathclyde 
176
122
93
105
208


Tayside 
1
4
2
5
6


Scotland
192
130
105
134
232


 
Percentage change on previous year


Grampian 
-31
-100
na
150
20


Lothian and Borders 
-33
0
50
133
-57


Strathclyde 
-36
-31
-24
13
98


Tayside 
0
300
-50
150
20


Scotland
-35
-32
-19
28
73



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Includes loitering, soliciting and importuning.

Public Transport

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the UK Government in respect of the Competition Commission’s inquiry into the joint venture between Stagecoach and Scottish Citylink and the manner in which the inquiry was conducted.

Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive provided a written response to the Competition Commission (CC) inquiry on 3 April 2006 which is available on the CC website at:  http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/inquiries/ref2006/citylink/third_party_submissions.htm

  Officials also gave evidence at an oral hearing dealing with the CC inquiry on the 27 March 2006; a summary of evidence provided at this hearing is available on the CC website at: http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/inquiries/ref2006/citylink/third_party_summaries.htm

  Officials are also in contact with the commission to ensure that it takes a well informed and well considered approach that does not have unintended unhelpful consequences for passenger services.

Public Transport

Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all funding applications in respect of bus services in Moray currently being considered and what the timescales are for decisions on these applications.

Tavish Scott: There are currently no outstanding funding applications for bus services in Moray.

Public Transport

Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all public transport schemes in Moray that have received public funding in each of the last three years.

Tavish Scott: All public transport schemes in Moray that have received specific public funding from the Executive in the last three full financial years are set out in the following table. The Executive also provides general, non-project specific funding for public transport on an annual basis to Moray Council, such as its cycling, walking and safer streets; Rural Public Passenger Grant, and Grant Aided Expenditure allocations.

  The former voluntary regional transport partnership HITRANS received general, non-project specific funding for public transport from the Executive in each of the three financial years concerned. With the approval of the Executive, the partnership applied part of this funding to a number of schemes within the Moray area, such as buying low floor buses, enhancing bus shelters and rail stations and establishing a demand responsive transport service.

  

Financial Year
Name of Project/ Funding Regime


2003-04
Bus and Cycling Measures in Forres, Kinloss and Buckie (Public Transport Fund)


2004-05
Bus and Cycling Measures in Forres, Kinloss and Buckie (Public Transport Fund)


Buckie Accessible Bus Scheme (Rural Community Transport Initiative)


Speyside Community Transport Group Social Car Scheme (Rural Community Transport Initiative)


2005-06
Enhancement of bus service 10 between Inverness and Elgin (Bus Route Development Grant)


Buckie Accessible Bus Scheme (Rural Community Transport Initiative)


Speyside Community Transport Group Social Car Scheme (Rural Community Transport Initiative)

Rail Network

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will be in a position to announce whether it will support and provide finance for the dynamic loop on the Kilmarnock to Glasgow rail line.

Tavish Scott: Subject to finalising the contract with Network Rail and finding resources within current budget allocations, we will build a dynamic loop on the Kilmarnock to Glasgow rail line to allow a half hourly service on that route. We anticipate the work will be completed in 2009.

Rail Network

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-29029 by Tavish Scott on 9 November 2006, when it expects a decision to be reached on the reopening of the Edinburgh South Suburban Railway to passenger traffic.

Tavish Scott: Following a recent meeting, City of Edinburgh Council are to refresh the business case for the re-opening of the Edinburgh South Suburban Line which I will consider when it is available. No decisions on the future of the line can be made in advance of receiving the business case and this will need to be assessed along side capacity issues in and around the Edinburgh Waverley area.

Roads

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects that the A90 north of Aberdeen will be fully dualled.

Tavish Scott: Work will begin in the first quarter of 2009-10 on dualling the section between Balmedie to Tipperty.

  The A90 corridor is being assessed as part of the Strategic Transport Projects Review.

  Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted if required.

Roads

Ms Maureen Watt (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to improve road access to Aberdeen from the south.

Tavish Scott: The Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route and Fastlink, which are programmed for completion by 2011, will provide a safe and reliable route for traffic wishing to bypass the city and to access areas around the western perimeter. This will be of considerable benefit to the industrial areas around Dyce and Aberdeen Airport. The proposed Fastlink will relieve the increasingly congested A90 between Stonehaven and Aberdeen and routes into and through the city centre including the Bridge of Dee.

  I also refer the member to the answer to question S2W-30814 on 25 January 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Roads

Ms Maureen Watt (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to upgrade the current road infrastructure at the Bridge of Dee in Aberdeen.

Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive and North East of Scotland Transport Partnership (NESTRANS) jointly funded a study on trunk road access to the Bridge of Dee from the south, in order to identify measures to reduce congestion. A draft report has been produced, and further work is required to consider the impact of the revised route of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR).

Supporting People

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive what provision has been made to make alternative funding available to people with additional support needs who will be affected by funding cuts to the Supporting People programme.

Rhona Brankin: The reductions in Supporting People funding, which affect some but not all councils, arose from the need, in the light of the Treasury-led review of the programme, to improve efficiencies in the delivery of services and redistribute overall funding in a fairer way across Scotland. It wasn’t therefore appropriate to make alternative funding available centrally, but local authorities are free to draw in funding from other sources locally, as they judge best. The Scottish Executive continues to monitor carefully the impact of the budget changes on the different client groups.

Supporting People

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding cuts have been made to the Supporting People programme in 2005-06.

Rhona Brankin: The need to begin improving efficiencies in the Supporting People programme, in the light of the Treasury-led review of the programme, led to grant allocation reducing from £422.5 million in 2004-05 to £407.5 million in 2005-06, although additional unclaimed "pipeline" funding carried forward from the previous year resulted in the final allocations of £419.5 million in 2005-06. Councils were also allowed to carry forward locally any unused funding from their own Supporting People allocations into 2005-06.

Supporting People

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding for Supporting People services has been provided to each local authority in each of the last three years.

Rhona Brankin: Supporting People grant allocations for this year and the previous two years are as follows:

  Supporting People Allocations

  

Council
Final 2004-05 (£000)
Original 2005-06 (£000)
Pipeline Carry Forward (£000)
Final 2005-06 (£000)
Final 2006-07 (£000)


Aberdeen City
12,306
12,306
45
12,351
11,881


Aberdeenshire
9,375
9,375
415
9,790
9,440


Angus
6,404
6,404
45
6,449
6,460


Argyll and Bute
14,900
13,782
-
13,782
13,261


Clackmannanshire
3,093
3,093
-
3,093
3,242


Dumfries and Galloway
15,079
13,948
352
14,300
13,420


Dundee City
11,672
11,672
43
11,715
11,748


East Ayrshire
6,184
6,184
-
6,184
6,464


East Dunbartonshire
5,528
5,438
259
5,697
5,237


East Lothian
9,366
8,663
139
8,802
8,336


East Renfrewshire
6,258
5,789
54
5,843
5,570


Edinburgh, City of
44,695
41,343
29
41,372
39,778


Eilean Siar
357
484
97
581
585


Falkirk
8,275
8,275
15
8,290
8,439


Fife
28,332
26,207
177
26,384
24,560


Glasgow City
71,766
71,765
3,689
75,454
73,159


Highland
13,891
12,849
251
13,100
11,728


Inverclyde
8,123
7,979
172
8,151
7,684


Midlothian
6,071
5,616
12
5,628
5,404


Moray
6,920
6,401
-
6,401
6,159


North Ayrshire
14,705
13,602
78
13,680
12,242


North Lanarkshire
24,846
24,845
-
24,845
25,045


Orkney Islands
357
357
-
357
422


Perth and Kinross
6,226
6,226
60
6,286
6,395


Renfrewshire
18,347
16,971
4,005
20,976
16,329


Scottish Borders
5,956
5,956
-
5,956
5,750


Shetland Islands
788
788
-
788
815


South Ayrshire
8,172
8,172
540
8,712
7,975


South Lanarkshire
23,421
23,189
842
24,031
22,333


Stirling
3,800
3,800
188
3,988
3,966


West Dunbartonshire
17,500
16,187
166
16,353
15,575


West Lothian
9,761
9,761
423
10,184
9,783


Scotland
422,475
407,427
12,096
419,523
399,185

Supporting People

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance was provided to local authorities on allocating funding for Supporting People services.

Rhona Brankin: Substantial guidance was available to local authorities on allocating funding for Supporting People services when the programme was introduced in April 2003. This guidance had been subject to extensive consultation over the previous three years. Paragraph 4 of Folder 1 sets out the guidance about strategic planning, setting objectives, priorities and action plans. The guidance is available on the Scottish Executive Supporting People website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Housing/Housing/supportpeople/SGIG .

Tourism

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact there has been on government expenditure and revenue in Scotland arising from the increase in the number of tourists visiting Scotland in 2006.

Mr Tom McCabe: We very much welcome the increase in the number of tourists visiting Scotland in 2006. During the first nine months of 2006, overseas tourist numbers have risen by 14 per cent and tourism is currently worth £4.2 billion a year to the Scottish economy.

  VisitScotland continues to play an important role in support of Scotland’s tourism industry, with funding from the Scottish Executive in Financial Year 2006-07 of £44.4 million.

Tourism

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many bookings Executive staff have made with accommodation providers accredited under the Green Tourism Business Scheme and what percentage this represents of total accommodation bookings made by the Executive since the announcement of the scheme on 24 August 2006.

Patricia Ferguson: The Executive’s hotel bookings are normally made through the Expotel agency. Since last June, Expotel has promoted Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS)-registered establishments in Scotland as a first choice to ministers and officials where they offer comparable value for money to non-GTBS accommodation and are suitably located. From June to November 2006 (the only period for which data is currently available), 1,461 bookings were made through Expotel, of which 156 or nearly 11% were for GTBS-accredited accommodation.

  At present, only 209 serviced accommodation providers are full members of the GTBS and as a result, GTBS accredited accommodation is not always available. However, the Tourism Framework for Change commits the industry and VisitScotland to increasing membership of the GTBS each year. Expotel and VisitScotland are therefore undertaking active promotion of the GTBS to non-accredited hotels, and a new entry level is soon to be launched within the scheme which will make it significantly easier for businesses to join. This will broaden the range of suitable GTBS accommodation providers for ministers and officials, and as a consequence we expect the use of this accommodation to rise substantially in the future.

  Information on accommodation booked outwith Expotel is not held centrally.